The 46-year-old from Milwaukee, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s one of these things which won’t be erased very easily — I just don’t want anyone else to go through something like this.”

Her 76-year-old mother added: “Bermuda was like a second home to me and I’m now afraid to go into my own home because of what happened.

“This has put a very dark shadow on Bermuda for me — I’ve been coming there for 17 years, but this man has spoilt that and I want to see him caught.”

The two women were staying alone at the guest house and were due to leave that day when they were attacked around 5:30am on Wednesday.

The 46-year-old said both women had been treated for bruising, but that the mental scars would take longer to heal.

Her husband, a 52-year-old graphic designer, said he usually joined his wife and mother-in-law on Bermuda trips, where the family have enjoyed regular vacations for 17 years.

He added: “My wife and my mother-in-law are terrified. My mother-in-law can’t stop shaking since she got home. It’s a hard thing that she can’t even stand to go into her own home — she’s got a lot of things from Bermuda there. It’s something we hate to see happening.

“We’ll find it hard to travel anywhere from this point forward. They were beat up pretty badly. He beat them up and punched them.

“I don’t think we will be going back to Bermuda any time soon.

“There used to be dignity, where people wouldn’t hit kids or defenceless women — it’s seems to be now that people just don’t care.”

But he added: “That’s what sickening about it. It happens everywhere, it happens in the States, but it doesn’t really impact on you until it affects you personally.”

He added that the family had decided to speak about their ordeal to focus attention on catching the thug who assaulted the two women.

The man said: “I wish I had been there, but we want to keep this alive, we want people to be aware of this. I’m sure there are people who will read the stories and want to do something about it.

“He didn’t have a weapon, but next time he might have and somebody could be badly hurt. This guy has to be caught and if anybody knows who he is, they should turn him in. He needs to pay for what he did.”

The suspect escaped with a purse containing cash and personal items.

He is described as male, tall, dark-skinned and with a scarf covering his face.

Police are investigating the robbery. Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact PC Patrick Jones on 295-0011.